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Twice-postponed Syracuse Fashion Weekend scheduled for October

The 2013 SU VPA Fashion Show

Syracuse University students wait backstage at the annual SU fashion show. Esmeralda Harwood wants to create a new fashion show for the Syracuse community, combining student talent with fashion by international designers.
(Mike Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com)

An international fashion designer from Dubai was booked to travel to Syracuse this spring. The Oncenter Convention Center planned to install a runway. The first ever Syracuse Fashion Weekend was set to debut on April 27.

The bombings made international news. That's when the meticulously-planned fashion show, the brainchild of 26-year-old Esmeralda Harwood, fell apart.

The event's headlining fashion designer, Walid Atallah, made a last-minute decision not to fly from Dubai to the United States amidst circulating rumors of terrorist attacks in Boston.

"He got very nervous," said Harwood, the show's executive producer. "He said, 'I don't want to risk my life or my colleagues.' That's why he couldn't make it in April. He is the boss of his company so I must respect his decision."

Atallah and his collection of jeweled gowns ranging from $100,000 to $3 million in value remained in Dubai.

Harwood rescheduled the show for July 6, but the majority of her 70 team members -- co-producers, models, volunteers, hair stylists and makeup artists -- asked her to again reschedule because they had plans to spend the summer on vacation or with their families.

"I had to agree with them," Harwood said. "I can't do this myself without their support. This is a team effort."

The twice-postponed Syracuse Fashion Show is now locked in for October 11 from 7-9 p.m.

"It's going to happen now, I promise you," Harwood said.

Now that the dust has settled in Boston, Atallah looks forward to spending his October birthday in Syracuse.

"The most important thing for him is the security of his team," Harwood said. "He is very excited to come in October and eager to know Syracuse."

It was a spring fashion show, then a summer show and now it's a fall show. The designers have kept up with the changing runway content, with new gowns coming to Syracuse valued in the millions.

"It's a hard job to perform a fashion show, but our commitment is worth it," she said. "That's why we're doing this. What I'm doing makes me feel enormous and complete. I will be so happy if the community gives us a warm welcome."

Designers featured in the October show will include Walid Atallah, Sushma Patel, Chloe Schnell, Jasmine Kim, Tiffany Wu and Lung Ung.

If you go:

When: The rescheduled Syracuse Fashion Weekend show will be 7-9 p.m. on Friday, October 11, with a cocktail reception at 4 p.m. and live music at 5 p.m.Where: 800 South State St., SyracuseTickets: $20 for students (with ID) and $40 for general admission. VIP tickets are $100. Buy tickets online here.